BRANDON, MB – Westoba Cred it Union announced to day it is closing its branch at 10th Street and Princess in Brandon, leaving it with three branches in the city and paving the way for additional online and alternative services for it s members. “Westoba is evolving along with the needs of our members,” says Westoba Board of Directors Chair Jim Abernethy. “Members tell us they want more online and alternative services, as well as more guidance to make better financial decisions. The money we save by closing one branch will allow us to invest in technology and staff development.” The 10th Street and Princess branch is slated to close this November, and the building will be sold. Westoba will still have a strong presence in downtown Brandon, with more than 80 employees continuing to work at its corporate office. ATM services will also continue downtown. The current staff at the 10th Street and Princess branch will be deployed to other branches or areas of operation to support member service delivery i n the Brandon area over the short-term. Ultimately, the Westoba workforce will be reduced by between seven and nine full-time positions as a result o f the changes, with some of the reductions being achieved through attrition. “We are becoming a more nimble credit union —adapting quickly to the changing needs of members and doing business the way they want,” says Westoba CEO Jim Rediger. “Across the financial industries sector, the way people bank is changing. There is increased pressure for more digital channels. We’re committed to meeting member needs by providing mo re convenient services and flexible options, while continuing to build strong long-term relationships through excellent service and quality financial advice.”

Spring is often a popular time for home owners to freshen up their space with a renovation project. An easy way to update a room (or the entire house) is upgrade your window treatments. Budget Blinds Owner, Sue Swarbrick, said that smart home automation is definitely the trend this season in the blind and drapery industry. “Motorized blinds are becoming more and more popular. They are especially helpful for hard to reach windows or when you have a lot of windows. It’s just such an easy way to control the natural light in your home,” said Sue. Budget Blinds uses the the Somfy® motorization system, which is available in all types of blinds and is one of the leading systems on the market with the best warranty in the industry. Sue said that while it may seem like it’s more of a luxury item, many people often regret not getting them. “People were used to having mini blinds, verticals or vinyl roller shades that you got 30 years out of for a relatively inexpensive price. So the concept of motorized blinds is still fairly new, but we have clients telling us all the time ‘I wish I had motorized them’.

Local business owner Jamie Willey, of Studio 78 Photography, felt the next way to expand her business was to get into the print business.To some, you would think that magazines and papers were becoming somewhat extinct.  But Willey feels Mint Magazine will be a publication people will hang on to for weeks and months.  “the quality of the magazine is second to none with top end photography, writing, design and layout, plus paper quality” Currently Mint Magazine is now based in Kelowna and satellite publications in Revelstoke and Penticton BC. “ Salons, Café’s, Retailers, Gyms, Restaurants, and Real Estate will see some huge benefit’s to their business when we produce a story on their business.  This will be more than just an ad in the paper or magazine but rather we want to give the public a much more in depth look into that business” We asked Jamie what are some of the numbers involved.  Right now the idea is to hand deliver the magazine to certain areas of the city and have the magazines available at retail locations for no charge.  “ Local hockey teams will be able to have a fundraiser by dropping the magazines off for us”. http://www.mintmagazine.ca/

BDNMB.Ca has learned that a worldwide health food franchise, freshii, is targeting setting up shop in Brandon. Freshii is a Canadian fast-casual restaurant that serves burritos, wraps, soups, salads and frozen yogurt featuring fast, custom-built fresh ingredients. Local franchisee Tyler Henry tells bdnmb.ca that he is excited to get going, and has been waiting to hear word about a definite location for this new venture. There are currently ten locations scattered throughout Winnipeg. MTS Connect Store Now a Telus Location The MTS Connect Store in the Brandon Shoppers Mall officially made the transition to a Telus store today. The move comes as part of Bell's acquisition of MTS, which was finalized back in March. As part of the arrangement Bell announced it would distribute approximately 100,000 MTS wireless customers and 15 stores to Telus as part of the deal. New Chair for 2017 United Way Campaign Scott Hlady has been named the new Campaign Chair for the United Way of Brandon for 2017. Scott is a former member of the Western Hockey League’s Wheat Kings and a Brandon University graduate. He currently is employed at the Murray Auto Centre as a GM Pro Certified Sales Associate and has also spent the last 4 seasons as the Wheat Kings’ Equipment Manager. As president of the BIRT Cup Scott has played a key role in raising over $40,000 for that organization.

Baby Bump Store & Family Centre officially threw open their doors today in the Thomas Mall (728-18th Street). This locally owned business is an expansion of Baby Bump Prenatal, which Adrienne McNish and Stacy Nevill started two years ago. They began by offering a variety of prenatal classes for expectant parents in the privacy of their homes, but after a tremendous response from their clients they saw a need to expand their business. “We will continue to offer our private prenatal classes at our clients’ homes, but classes can now also be held in our Family Centre for those who would prefer and for out-of-town clients. Our focus remains the same - to educate and inspire expecting and new parents. We will now be Brandon's only baby and family one-stop-shop, where families are supported right from conception through to the toddler years,” said Stacy. In addition, the duo plans to introduce a variety of new prenatal and postnatal classes at the Family Centre this fall, plus their newly renovated space can be rented for events such as baby showers and birthday parties. Parents-to-be will also be pleased to hear that the business also includes a retail section. Baby Bump has a variety of quality products, including all the necessities for pregnancy, parents and babies, including beautiful gift ideas. Some of the products they have in store include: strollers, carseats, breast pumps, nursing bras, diaper bags, crib sheets, blankets, teethers, books, booties, wraps and slings, and so much more. “We strive to provide a place where people can feel comfortable learning, asking questions and exploring products that are right for them and their growing families,” said Adrienne. Stop by the store or visit: http://www.babybumpprenatal.com. You can also find them on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter.